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Post by hacker54 on Sept 11, 2019 10:41:43 GMT -5
Gentlemen on Mon. the 8th I received my new press the Lee auto Breech Lock Pro. Now looking over my new press I call this the Glock of the reloading press world. Yes there's polymer over the mental parts and where this is will actually aid in its function. Answer to Greg's question on the base it is steel. Those that remember when I posted about the new redesigned Pro 1000 and how that looks now. If you look at that press along with the Auto Breech Lock and the new Value Turret press they all share the same base. Which is a good idea as one base for three presses cuts down on the cost of manufacturing. My new press was still under the promo that it came with a bin and bracket to catch the finished rounds. I decided when I ordered that I get the #19 shell plate as it will handle 9mm,10mm,40 S&W, and 38 Super. Lee has new this year new style of lock rings and a new style of breech lock bushing which I ordered a few sets of each. leeprecision.com/ultimate-lock-rings-3-pack.html leeprecision.com/lock-ring-elim-4-pack.html Now with the colored bushings you set your press up in a color coded sequence. Now for my semi auto rounds I can set it up as follows Silver-size Red-powder Blue-bullet seat Gold-taper crimp. I don't have it on the bench yet I have to do some arranging and when I have it mounted and the bushings get here I"ll post on the out come. Oh I just might get the new Pro 1000 as it will bolt righ in place where this press goes just swap'em out. |
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SnapShot
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Jeep & Mocha "Remembering Patches, always"
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Post by SnapShot on Sept 11, 2019 17:01:31 GMT -5
Congratulations Gary ~
This is like getting a new car . . you need to show it off.
I'm waiting to see some pictures and also to hear how it all works.
Please keep us posted.
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bob
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I'm too old to be nice but never too old to learn!
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Post by bob on Sept 11, 2019 17:52:54 GMT -5
Looking forward to pictures and an in depth analysis. Congratulations Hacker!  |
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poohzilla
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Give me a place to stand and a long-enough lever, and I will invariably break the lever.
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Post by poohzilla on Sept 11, 2019 19:36:26 GMT -5
Gary, watching to see how this all works out. While the rest of us are wondering what it's like, Greg is working on the drawings for the modifications... Post pictures when you're ready !
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gws
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Location: NW New Mexico
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Post by gws on Sept 11, 2019 21:13:59 GMT -5
Gary, watching to see how this all works out. While the rest of us are wondering what it's like, Greg is working on the drawings for the modifications... Post pictures when you're ready! You are so funny.....I would have to buy one first! Not that I wouldn't love to play with one! Maybe some of my madness has rubbed off on Gary. This mental disease IS catchy......
But.....I don't have room for any more presses......and I'm too old to be interested in building me a new house.....and besides, I figure it'll take me another 2 years to wring out this ProChucker.
Gary! Congrats on joining the progressive club.....in for the pictures and the review.
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Post by hacker54 on Sept 11, 2019 22:03:12 GMT -5
Yes gentlemen when I have it up and running I'll give you the low down. Oh Greg as for progressives I do have the old style Pro 1000 that if you remember from the Hub House that I did the rehab and overhaul on. I've done a few thousand rounds on that one to date. i have about 3,000 9mm to test this new press out on as I also have received 3,000 122gr. Hi-Tek coated from "Acme Bullet" to run in it.
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gws
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Post by gws on Oct 8, 2019 19:19:53 GMT -5
Okay, Hacker......I got something for you and your new Auto Breech lock Pro. I'm sure you are going to want to eventually load .223 and .308, but Lee isn't going to supply you with the case collator to speed it up..........so.........I built another, similar to my last shaker/collater, but more closely based on Lee's little collator and it goes with their fairly new Universal case feeder that drops .308 Winchester. Building a new thread as I type....listen up!  |
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Post by hacker54 on Nov 5, 2022 14:03:06 GMT -5
Gentlemen an update on my Lee Auto Breech Lock Pro. I finally got to play with it. I know I know well took ya long enough as this thread was started by me three years ago. Well I'm not noted for being speedy. I did 1,000 9mm and after some hiccups got it running and gat them done. Now I have the old style case feeder and that is the small size one that will handle 380, 9mm, .223 and cases of that small rim size. I have that set up for 9mm and have it secured with blue Loctite. I'm now doing 40S&W feeding cases one by one as this press has an access hole to drop cases in. Now I have the large case feeder and thinking of getting another and I'll set that up for 38Spl. and I'll Loctite that as well. I do shoot more 9mm and 38Spl at the range that the other caliber hand guns I have.
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gws
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Post by gws on Nov 9, 2022 12:40:16 GMT -5
Saw this...this morning....1,000 9mm! I don't even have that many......maybe 200 cases, 100 bullets and primers. May have to wait for things to come back some more, to get to do much with the 6-pack.
But glad you're back in action! So just how well do you like your new toy? I'm wondering just how much the six pack is similar. We will know in a couple of weeks.
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Post by hacker54 on Nov 9, 2022 14:07:54 GMT -5
Well Greg since you stated about helping your two grandsons reloading 9mm I would think they would have a good supply of brass any way. Have them bring brass, bullets, powder, and primers so they can help with the project. I hope you and the grandsons can get primers as they are hard to come by. The other components one can get. Answer to how I li9ke it. After the first hiccups it went really smooth. Now as I stated before not being speedy I take my time so I can watch over things and still get more done compared to single stage. The Six Pack uses the same base and pillars but with a six station head and shell plate carrier. Looking over the photos it has the hole/port to insert a case at a time till you have everything set up. Another thing this turns counter clockwise like the Pro 1000 the Breech Lock Pro is clock wise. Oh that 1000 9mm was for the son-in-law. I have a couple thousand of my on to do and I have on hand that I loaded awhile ago around 1500 give or take a couple hundred. Yep I need some more range time.
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gws
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Location: NW New Mexico
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Post by gws on Nov 9, 2022 15:52:37 GMT -5
... Have them bring brass, bullets, powder, and primers so they can help with the project. I hope you and the grandsons can get primers as they are hard to come by ...
The boys are new at the game......the 9mm specific components I have, ARE theirs!  I haven't personally used 9mm....yet, but I do have 6000 of these for my .357s:
Got them when they came back after the great Obama panic. |
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Post by hacker54 on Nov 9, 2022 16:29:44 GMT -5
Yes Greg buy in bulk when one can. I have about 10500 of CCI 500 and around 1400 CCI 550 I have other brands as well. I'm in need of large pistol. I would like to get my hands on CCI 350s.
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gws
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Location: NW New Mexico
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Post by gws on Nov 9, 2022 17:42:51 GMT -5
LiveLife over at THR.com has been using and documenting the experiance, and was asked what the difference was between the ABLP and the 6-Pack. Thought you'd be interested, so I'm posting a screen shot for you.
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Post by hacker54 on Nov 9, 2022 21:39:01 GMT -5
Thanks Greg for that screen shot. I knew about what to expect from either one. My son-in-law now longer has an AR15 in 5.56 but still has one in 6.8 SPC so I'll end up getting the shell plate for that which will handle 224 Valkyrie. My buddy has a Mini 14 and his son has an AR15 both in 5.56. so I think I'll be helping them out. I'll get the #4 shell plate that will handle 380ACP and 223/5.56 At some point I am going to get another ABLP but not right away.
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gws
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Post by gws on Nov 9, 2022 22:28:59 GMT -5
What interested me besides the 6 stations, is the new automatic primer system, the ability to load large rifle calibers, and the orientation that rotates the loaded round to the front before the finished ejection. Not expecting a Dillon, but I don't think Dillon quality is all that necessary. Been really impressed with the APP. It's extremely lightweight but yet it works really well with only minor tweaking. You have to tweak Dillons too. I am expecting a similar experience. You died-in-the-wool single station guys around here....take notice. At only 70 years old and nearly 47 years of stroking a single station press, I was ready to give up reloading.......just danged tired of all the work stroking and stroking. Trying a progressive was the last attempt to keep me in the hobby. Gave me a new lease on life.......and now it's not so expensive. here I'm 73 now, and it's fun again. Hope this Lee will do the same thing for lots of old farts like me......and young farts too. |
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bob
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Post by bob on Nov 10, 2022 21:01:02 GMT -5
Greg, Being a member of that "O.F" group I took notice! I appreciate your thought. I load for some 20 or so different cartridges and only 20-50 at a time so a progressive isn't really for me though I have from time to time considered a turret press.
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gws
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Post by gws on Nov 10, 2022 23:02:04 GMT -5
Greg, Being a member of that "O.F" group I took notice! I appreciate your thought. I load for some 20 or so different cartridges and only 20-50 at a time so a progressive isn't really for me though I have from time to time considered a turret press.
I think I've managed to misrepresent me. I don't load many hundreds or thousands......you probably shoot more than I do. One day I just looked at my Rock Chucker and thought, I can't face this thing tonight....too danged tired....there's got to be a better way. My shoulders, my arms, are a bit worn out. So I went looking for a better, different way to reload.
I looked first at turrets until I realized that those don't cut down ANY strokes.....they just make it easy to be lazy with the chore of screwing a die in the press. You still have the same # of strokes.
With a progressive, doing handgun ammo, even without collator/feeders (how I started), you place a case, stroke, and it's sized and deprimed; Stroke #2, you expand and prime; Stroke #3, you charge it with powder, then place a bullet; Stroke #4 you seat, and if you want to do it separately, you Stroke #5 to crimp;......so far just like a turret, if you have a Lee turret that indexes....with all the others you have to turn the turret each time, too! But stroke-wise still 5 strokes. Multiply that by 100 cartridges....that's 500 strokes on a turret or a single stage.
But back to the progressive.....the first 5 strokes...same same, you got one finished cartridge....BUT! 6 strokes you have 2; 7 strokes you have 3; 8 strokes you have 4; 9 strokes you have 5; so one more, 10 strokes you have 6 rounds finished, instead of 30 strokes. How many for 100 rounds? 104 strokes total, vs 500 strokes using a turret or a single stage. Not something this old fart enjoys like I used to.
Once I get set up and start cranking, it takes me 15 minutes to do a 100, 20 minutes if I'm really lazy or having a hiccup or two......and I'm still not cussing my shoulder and threatening to quit.
Now about this Lee 6000.....it's really the first Lee progressive with the priming system improved enough to interest me....finally one I'm curious enough to buy.....and it has 6 stations, which means you can make it way easier and safer with feeders and a powder level lock out die.
I'll report honestly to you if it measures up......The price is amazing for what you get.....I think. It's coming tomorrow.....stay tuned...we will see if it's for real. |
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gws
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Post by gws on Nov 12, 2022 13:45:29 GMT -5
Wellll, maybe not quite so amazing....I got it and it is really small & light weight. Maybe it'll work fine, but the materials didn't cost them much! The APP is smaller and even lighter, but it wasn't required or supposed to do what a "genuine" progressive is supposed to do. Not going to discount it just yet. Richard Lee and his Dad before him always did accuse the other brands of over-building way beyond need. We will see.
The biggest problem I have right now is deciding where this will permanently sit in the reloading room. I ordered an Inline Fabrications quick change mount for it.....but have a Lee base I ordered and replaced for the APP for temporary......just to find a spot.
What do I like so far? Six twist lug die holders in their famous breech-lok configuration....the primer system appears like it'll work. The super simple case advance system seems to work well without the problems old Dillons and Hornadys had with having to be calibrated often. What don't I like so much....plastic in surprising places where I would have expected metal to be.....like in the same case advance system.....(plastic gear). Works great, but for how long. til the two year warranty is up? These observations are preliminary....I have no experience using this thing yet. I was assured by one new user that there is absolutely no wear on that gear....practically floats he says.
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Post by hacker54 on Nov 14, 2022 17:50:53 GMT -5
Greg I agree with your point on the using of plastics where ya think metal would be used. That Pro 1000 that I overhauled and after a couple thousand rounds on that I replaced the ratchet gear on the shell plate carrier as it was well worn out. How many rounds before I got to use it I have no idea. After that I got extra shell plate carriers in the calibers I load the most so I did have to take the shell plate off and reassemble it. It was much easier to swap out shell plate carriers. I will guess you'll have your notebook handy to jog down on what upgrades you'll do. So with that have your 3D printer handy. Yes I'll be eager to read of what you think and what your upgrade(s) will look like.
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I haven't personally used 9mm....yet, but I do have 6000 of these for my .357s:
My daughter came from Missouri, my son and grand son, my wife and I had a nice dinner of grilled "porter house" pork chops, corn on the cobb, my son, G'son and I share 10/5. G'son is 4 minutes early though @ 10/4.
Pooh I hope you find to right house . 
